ATM Optical Tooling update

[Anthony Stillman <atmer@flash.net>]

If 95 percent of a project is completed in 20 days, how long will the
remaining five percent take?  OK, that was rhetorical, but the age of the
Universe does come to mind.

Last night,  I took my tip-tilt optical mount to Chabot.  It had yet to be
turned upright, the last bit of epoxy holding the ball of the ball and
socket joint had only been applied that morning and I didn't want to stress
the bond  prematurely.  The epoxy was pretty well set up when I took it
into the workshop.  Unbeknownst to the significant other I had brought the
mount upstairs out of the cold garage and left it in the Sun on the living
room floor all day.  Hey, what she doesn't know, right.

Anyway, once inside, where my friends could see my handiwork, up it went.
And just like that, the two pieces of the mount separated.  It seems the
tensional springs which hold the two pieces together are woefully
underrated.  I of course turned it right back on its face to show off the
wonderful features, which do work.  I then completely separated the
components to explain the problem to a friend who's opinion I value and
who's life experience is well applicable.  Pulling at a spring with his
thick skinned hands, "Oh yea", he says, "you need springs at least five
times this strong."  Great I'm thinking out loud, I could barely pry these
into place.  Another friend and fellow listy suggested a lever arrangement.
Well that seems like a good idea, and I haven't tried it yet.  I will have
to install something to lever against.  Unless someone here suggests an
easier solution it's how it will get done.  By the way, thanks Bill.

So, a couple of hours ago I trotted off the hardware store and picked up a
spring "at least five times as strong."  I write A spring, because these
things are way too long and I have to cut them down.  A trick in its self.
I use a triangular file to nick the spring, then snap it at the nick.  To
get a hook at that end, I place the spring lengthwise in the jaws of a
vise, pry out the last half a loop enough to hammer it over the rest of the
way. Does someone know a better way?   Well, one minor injury later I now
have two adequately lengthed springs ready for the impossible.

Here's the deal, these springs are mostly buried in the back assembly.  On
the buried end the spring is hooked to a threaded eye bolt which feeds
though to that assemblies back.  A large bore hole big enough for the eye
and spring body goes about half way through.  A smaller hole, just large
enough for the threaded part goes the rest of the way.  I've been hooking
this eye bolt first, pushing it though and securing it (with a fender
washer and acorn nut).  Then, with the total assembly collapsed as much as
possible, hooking the end that just barely sticks out the large bore hole
to the eye bolt on the other piece of the mount.  It's a stretch,
literally.  It's also about three inches from the edge of the two piece,
which when collapsed are only separated by about an inch.  Not a lot of
clearance.

And now, here's the question.  How the hell do I pull these springs into
place and hook them?  Please consider that even they may not be strong
enough.  If I have to, I'll bore larger holes or even add a second spring.
I've put in too much work to just give up and use the face as a small
optical table.  I guess I don't have to write that I am think of that.

A diminutive squeaky little, help.

Anthony